Hoofprints On My Heart
by CarlyLeeH
Summary: They say that when people come and go they leave marks, or even footprints, in your heart. For people within the horsey world it's slightly different. Not footprints... More like hoofprints.
1. Chapter 1

_**Authors Note: I don't think I've ever seen an AU before where Kurt and Blaine have had horses or been horseriders and it was just stuck in my head and kept screaming at me to write it! I'm weak, okay? So, eventually I gave in and wrote it. Here's chapter one of Hoofprints On My Heart! Enjoy!**_

Kurt's head snapped up as he heard the distinct sound of some sort of vehicle coming down the lane behind the walls and gates that kept the world shut out. The rain splattered against the window of the kitchen as he looked out onto the yard, seeing several of the horses poking their heads out from above the stable doors. After pulling on his boots and pulling on a black waterproof coat, he strode out into the rain. He walked outside the block of stables through the large double gate and frowned as he approached the gate at the front. The only way in and out of the yard.

As he neared the large gates, that were much taller than him, he could just make out the brightness of two headlights of a car through the sheet of rain that fell from the sky. Who would be out here at this time of night? He thought to himself. The yard or stables, either way, was halfway down a lane that looked as if it lead to the middle of nowhere. Not many cars could get down the lane anyway as it was bumpy and extremely difficult or even impossible to drive down unless you had a truck. The amount of cars that had came down the lane and broken down or gotten a flat tire was unbelievable. Kurt couldn't count them all on both his hands. So that was why it puzzled him that somebody would be at his gates after dark while it was puring it down with rain.

A human figure. A man to be more precise. That's what Kurt could see as he squinted slightly, finally getting up to the gates.

He appeared to be smaller than Kurt and was wearing in a red raincoat which clung to him. Also, the skin tight, creme coloured jodphurs he wore looked darkened in colour slightly due to being soaked with rain. He couldn't quite make out the other man's facial features but just his clothes and his rather short form on the other side of the gates.

"Excuse me? May I just ask why you're at my gates?" Kurt called, loud enough so his voice would be heard above the sound of the rain hitting the ground.

"Ermm. Yeah, I.." The man stammered, taking a step forward. "Sorry that it's after dark a-and.. It's pretty bad weather out too. But.. I don't know if you noticed the trailer on the back of my truck.."

Ahh, he had a truck. A good, plausible reason for being able to get down the lane without his car breaking down. Wait. Trailer?! Kurt hadn't noticed that before, his head turning to look at the trailer that was infact connected to his truck. Through the noise of the rain he could just hear movement from within and a faint stamping of hooves. A rather loud whinny broke through his thoughts as he looked back at the shorter man. So this man had just turned up at his gates, after dark, in the rain and with a horse trailer complete with the horse inside.

"Okay. I see you have a horse. Please continue." Kurt encouraged him with a wave of his hand, gesturing him to continue with his explaination.

"Oh! Sorry. Well I just recently moved to this area to finish my course at college and realised afterwards, oh damn. I have nowhere to go with my horse. So I asked around about any stables that people would reccomend and nobody knew of anywhere.. And then my boss reccomended here.." The man explained from the other side of the gates. "So. Here I am.. With my horse. At your gates."

Kurt could faintly see the other man's lips twitching up and his white teeth showing through the darkness and rain. After a moment, he snapped out of going through the man's words in his mind and nodded.

"I suppose I could make room here for you, Mister.. Sorry. I didn't catch your name?" He hinted, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Oh! Sorry, how rude of me. Yes. Blaine. Blaine Anderson. You can just can call me Blaine though."

Blaine.

It was so simplistic yet Kurt somehow loved the name and the way it easilly rolled through his thoughts as he said it in his mind.

"Mi-I mean, Blaine. Just so you know, before I allow you in. Payment for the boarding would be due at the end of each month and must be paid on time." Kurt told him in a matter of fact tone.

"That's fine by me!" Blaine nodded enthusiastically, "Prompt payments. Got it.. So. Do I just drive in?"

After receiving a nod from Kurt, Blaine got into his car whilst Kurt opened the gates and when they were open he drove straight in. The man seemed kind enough, Blaine thought to himself. After all, it was rather late and pouring it down with rain yet he was still allowing him in and being extremely helpful.

"Rain rain, go away.. Come again another day.." Kurt sung to himself as he locked up the car, flashing Blaine a smile as he jogged over to help him with unloading the horse from the trailer.

"Oh!" Blaine exclaimed, his tone as if something had just suddenly dawned on him. "I never got your name!"

Kurt laughed slightly at his expression. It was one of a rather excited but curious puppy.

"Kurt.. Kurt Hummel." He told him.

"Kurt.. Kurt.." Blaine repeated quietly to himself, looking in thought slightly before grinning brightly. "Well, Kurt! It's nice to meet you. Very nice to meet you."

_**To Be Continued!**_


	2. Chapter 2

"Easy girl! Easy now." Blaine chided to the black mare, who was stomping her hooves from inside the trailer.

Blaine was inside the trailer while Kurt pulled down the side ramp, so he could lead out his horse. She was a stunning back mare with a long silky mane and tail and ears that pricked up every time her attention was caught by something. She really was a beautiful creature.

"What's her name?" Kurt called softly, as he slowly dropped the side ramp down onto the ground.

Blaine let out a chuckle, leading her out. Well, that was putting it roughly. It was more like she lead him out. She pulled on the lead rope attached to her halter, rushing down the ramp and snorting her nostrils as she looked round with wide, interested eyes.

"She's called Bella. But I just shorten it to Bell most of the time." Blaine told Kurt over his shoulder before looking back to the horse, whispering "Easy, Bell. It's alright." In a reassuring tone.

The rain continued to fall from above, making Bella toss her mane as the rain started to soak it. Water droplets landed on Blaine, making him laugh.

"That's a lovely name. Very elegant but simple." Kurt nodded, and gestured for Blaine to follow him towards the block of stables. "Come on. I have a stable she can stay in for the night."

"Hey..." Blaine led Bella over to Kurt so he could walk beside the taller man, smiling as they walked. "Thank you for this. I mean... It can't be every day that someone turns up at your gates expecting you to take them in. Well, not that I was expecting it. It's just that it was dark and there was nowhere else I cou-"

"Blaine.. Blaine!" Kurt interrupted, a chuckle escaping from his lips. "It's okay. You're very welcome."

Neither of them said anything for a little while afterwards because Kurt showed them to the stable where Bella would be staying for the night. It was a simple stall with four walls, the front wall obviously having a two part door on it. The bottom door and the top door acted a bit like a window. The stable was the second one along on a row of six and was exactly the same on the inside as the others, with brick walls that were painted grey, a rather deep bed of straw on the left hand side and a bucket of water in the right hand corner.

Blaine stood with his black mare, not noticing that Kurt had left for a few moments as he got her settled inside the stable.

"You can use this for tonight." Kurt piped up.

Blaine looked up to see the taller man with a bundle of material in his arms. Before he knew it, the material was being thrust into his own arms and when he unravelled it he realised that it was a stable rug. One for Bella to wear; a fleece one to keep her warm for the night.

"Oh.. Wow. I hadn't even thought about her needing a rug. Thank God that you did the thinking for me." Blaine told Kurt as he slid the stable rug onto Bella and then fastened it up.

Once he'd done with that he turned round, finally facing the man for the first time when he wasn't doing something or being coated in rain.

The man was beautiful. He had chestnut hair that was coiffed and only slightly flattened by the rain, black knee-length boots that hugged his calves and a black raincoat which clung to his shoulders due to being soaked. Then Blaine's attention was brought to Kurt's eyes. They were a rather indecisive colour, and it made it even harder for him to figure out what colour they were in the dim light of the stall. A blue-green with a slight hint of grey, perhaps? Either way, they were extraordinary.

"Blaine.. Blaine! Wakey wakey.. Is anybody in there?"

Kurt's voice brought Blaine's attention back to reality, blinking slightly as he looked at him.

"Huh? What?" He asked, eyes widened.

This made Kurt laugh, his eyes crinkling slightly as he grinned at the shorter man.

"Oh, nothing. You just kinda spaced out there for a moment."

"Yep! I'm fine. Just thinking."

Kurt shook his head slightly and laughed lightly to himself. That's when Blaine stood and watched him as he went through what seemed to be a practiced routine. He checked the straps on Bella's rug, made sure she had a thick enough bed of hay and then went over to the water bucket, peering down at it to reassure himself that it was full with clean water. All this was done whilst he hummed a tune lightly under his breath. When he was finished, Kurt looked up from the floor to Blaine and smiled.

"So... Are you planning on heading straight off for tonight? Or would you like to stay for a coffee? I know it's a bit late, but I always have fresh coffee." Kurt enquired, his eyebrows raising slightly in question.

Briefly, Blaine glanced around Kurt and over the stable door to see that it was still raining enough to be called torrential downpour.

"You know.. I think staying for coffee would be a great idea."

_**Just wanted to add a quick author's note on the end! A quick thanks and credit to livyceegee/ prospitsagent for beta-ing this chapter for me. She was a big help!**_


End file.
